***As I warned before, I don't take in consideration anything apart from Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, including Origins, Arkham Knight, comics and spin offs. As much as characters, concepts and locations present in these might appear, my story is not connected with none of them***Previous Chapters:

Gotham City, 1881:A wagon rides above the dirt and stone street, the lamps light up the buildings and the creaky wood that makes up the town among the iron and smoke that builds up Old Gotham. Three man are inside the wagon, those who much resemble their descendants, Alan Wayne, Thedore Cobblepot and Edward Elliot.Edward: You talk about this architect so much, but I think he was totally not polite to call us to see his plans here. It could have been in his office or something else.Alan: Don't be such a hard rock, Ed. When you meet him, you'll be as enthusiastic about Gotham's future as much as I am.Theodore: The re-election is coming. If i support this young man and his plans, I'll be in office next year once again. He is a visionary, we could tell his the new Cyrus Pinkney.Alan: Indeed, he carries a great influence from Mr. Pinkney.Edward: Pinkney had class, this man doesn't even gives us the pleasure to show us his work in a decent place.Alan: He couldn't be somewhere else...The wagon stops and they get out of it.Alan: After all, he's working in my bridge!A gigantic bridge is being build there, connecting Gotham to the other islands and counties around. A young and blonde man coordinates the building of the bridge, Nicholas Anders, the architect.Alan: There he is, Mr. Anders!Nicholas: Mr. Wayne. It's great to see you again.Alan: These are the men whom I spoke to you before, Theodore and Edward. These are the men which the other two bridges will be named from. Gentlemen, this is Nicholas Gate.Nicholas: Pleasure to meet you, misters. It's a real honor.Alan: I imagine you want to show them your drawings?Nicholas: Yes, sure, sure.He pulls up a piece of paper from his bag.Alan: I want to continue what my father and Cyrus Pinkney started, but unlike them, who were limited by the technology of their time, we aren't limited by nothing.He opens the paper and shows them the future, a project of what Gotham should become, tall buildings and industries, the docks, bridges and statues.Theodore: Quite elegant, but that's impossible. The foundation to these buildings would have to be enormous.Nicholas: I've managed to create the means to go deep enough and create a substructure that could hold it all.Alan: Mister Gate and his brother have found a way to lead us to the clouds.Edward: Intriguing. But are we able to build something like that?We follow the bridges top and how Old Gotham can be seen entirely from there.Alan: Of course it's possible, as my father would say "Tomorrow is one dream away."

Batman: Ashes of Gotham [Part 21]: Tomorrow is One Dream AwayNow we can see Gotham from the same view but in the present and the change is big, the buildings cover the city, however everything is so white. As we go far from it, it's noticeable that it's a scale model of Gotham.Bruce Wayne: Every time I had a bad day, my father always said this for me when he took me to sleep "Bruce, tomorrow is one dream away" It may sound a little corny but it worked for me that time. As most of you know, my father was killed when I was a kid while we walked out of the cinema in the famous "Crime Alley", inside the city's heart. My father passed away, but the dream of a better tomorrow never went away. Well, and I'm investing in this tomorrow.He lifts his hand up and the model rises from the ground. Several people watch this, such as Commissioner Gordon, Leslie Thompkins, Lucius Fox, and 2 unusual guests next to Vicki Vale.Bruce: In the next month, Wayne Enterprises will be working to invest in Gotham's Tomorrow. We've been working with several other companies such as Kord Electronics, LexCorp and Queen Industries, and with design firms, so that together we are creating an initiative to rebuild some of Gotham abandoned areas, such as the Steel Mill and the flooded areas from Arkham City. From there, we are planning to expand and upgrade Gotham's metro and train system, the streets and avenues, the bridges and our airport.The model starts an holographic projection, first it shows the Steel Mill and Amusement Mile rebuilt. The Bridges expanded, the metro, the Archie Goodwin airport, all new shown in blue by the holographic projection.Bruce: Think in how Gotham was, how it is now, and most important, how it will be!The projection shows Gotham's center, with buildings that quite resemble the ones in Nicholas Anders project.The crowd applauds him. Later, he jumps from the improvised stage mounted at Wayne Manor. He greets his guests as usual and shares a drink with Oliver Queen and Ted Kord. Later, he is interviewed by Vic Sage, from Hub City, and by Jack Ryder from GCN. And finally shares a conversation with Lucius Fox about the project.Lucius: You may not handle a company but you can sure handle a crowd.Bruce: Thanks Lucius.Lucius: Thank you, Bruce. The last time I check our stock market, our shares had doubled! People are investing, Bruce, and most important, they want to invest.Bruce: This project is only becoming true, because of you.Lucius: Later, meet me downstairs, I got something for your "friend".Bruce: Sure.He walks away for a moment and is interrupted by Vicki Vale.Vicki: There you are!Bruce: Hey Vicki.Vicki: You've shown us your plans for Gotham, what about showing me your plans for your room?Bruce: Maybe later, meet me up there after the party.Vicki: Okay, let me introduce you to these two men here. This is Zachary Gate, the architect responsible for Beacon Tower, and this is Lincoln March, he's running for Mayor.Bruce: Yes, I've heard. You own March Venture, right?Lincoln: Yes, right.Bruce: Weren't you the financier of Leslie Thompkins clinic at Arkham City area?Lincoln: Yes. She's a great woman.Bruce: Well, any friend of Leslie, is a friend of mine.Lincoln: I've got your vote, then?Bruce: It depends, do I have yours?Lincoln: After that presentation, you got mine and Zachary's. We have a proposal. We want to join the project and make a really big investment but I also want your support for my nomination.Zachary: We want you to be a part of something...Bruce: Sure, maybe we can discuss this matter later. A dinner maybe?Zachary: Sure.Bruce: Well, you can schedule it out with Alfred.He leaves and heads to the library, then starts to play a certain song in the piano. Suddenly, a secret door opens, he enters in an elevator and heads down to the Batcave. There he meets Lucius Fox.Bruce: What do you have for me?He pulls a small box from his pocket and shows him two contact lenses.Lucius: These are special lenses, they're connected with the Batcave computer and have everything you need, from night vision to lie detector. Basically, you're economizing space, gear and weight. It's the future Bruce and it's in your hands.Bruce: These will certainly be useful. I got to go upstairs, there is someone waiting for me.Lucius: It's the reporter again?Bruce leaves the Batcave.Lucius: It's always the reporter...

Gotham BayA boat stops at the docks, two men are on a boat, however they are heading to an ambush. Several armed thugs are awaiting for them. The two men step away from the boat, one is wearing a coat and a hat covering his face and the other is a big bald man carrying two boxes. When the armed men show up, the man with the coat orders his brute to do something. Suddenly, the man drops his boxes, and grabs the neck of one of the armed men. He breaks the guy's neck with his bare hands, then uses the body as a baseball bat and beats the other thugs. With all the thugs dead on the ground, the man removes his hat and reveals himself as Black Mask.Black Mask: This city is gonna tremble upon you, Beast.

ChinatownA small Chinese restaurant is surrounded by cars, vans and thugs. Inside the restaurant, the entire mafia community is reunited to discuss one personal matter.Salvatore Maroni: Union. This is the word that we need to get rid of those vicious beasts that walk among us. And I know, you all first handily would dispose of rivalries in order to stop the economic downfall Gotham is at. Our families have lead this city into a shining path when it nothing but dirt and wood. And now, we are here sitting in a city of iron, steel and internet, and letting it turn into ashes.Akahara: Salvatore is right. We need to battle the virus that entered this city.Carmine Falcone: We should hit them hard and fast, before they even know what's happening.Rupert Thorne: You have been gone long, Carmine. Things have changed, this is not the times our fathers lived anymore. I vote for us to start something slow, but effective. Taking them meticulously, one by one with precision and caution. We need to send a message to these freaks.He takes a picture from the wall, where there is a photo from every dangerous criminal in the city, from Black Mask to the Riddler. He picks up the photo of Two Face.Thorne: And maybe we should start from the one who caused us the biggest damage. First as an attorney to the horrendous monster he became thanks to Maroni.Maroni: We all know who caused this wasn't me, ain't that right Carmine?Carmine: I think you probably have forgotten who threw the acid at his face.Maroni: Maybe, but I didn't forgot who gave the order.Carmine: Touche. Still, he knows I'm back and he wants my head. And he isn't a loner anymore, he has a whole gang with him and most of Arkham City territory.Maroni: That's why you're perfect. We need to use you as a bait, a decoy for him to get out of that abandoned piece of the city and go inside our domains. How many years you think you could run your family from safe houses in China? You got to the take the risk for the bigger goal, share a little of our sweat, if you want the Falcone's to play an important part in Gotham again.Carmine: And the Batman? He's much more of a threat for us then Dent.Maroni: Everything at it's time.

Wayne ManorBruce's phone starts to ring, he puts his hand above it and scroll the screen.Bruce: Hello...Alright...Yes, I'm coming.He starts to put on his shirt but he's interrupted by a hand, a female's hand. She carefully drags her hand to his back and touches all the scars he has.Vicki Vale: What are these?Bruce: I like dangerous sports, y'know that.Vicki Vale: Well, sweetheart, you must be really bad.Bruce: I got to go, important meeting. Alfred has breakfast ready for you downstairs.He kisses her real quick and leaves.Vicki: At least this time, he has a decent excuse.

Gotham Train StationA young man wearing glasses carries his bags disastrously while talking to the phone. His name is Jason Bard and he's the new lieutenant.Bard: Mom, I'm really busy, I can't talk now...Yes, I'll take care of myself...Yes, he's coming to get me here at the station, he seems like a really nice guy, and I'll need both of my hands when he gets here..This means I need to hang up, bye.A strange man comes behind him and grabs his bag. It's Harvey Bullock.Bullock: Well then, you probably need some help my friend.Bard: Thanks, sir. Wait, are you Commissioner Gordon?Bullock: Not even close, Detective Harvey Bullock. You must be the freshman, welcome to Gotham. How does it feel?Bard: Really dark and dirty.Bullock: You got the spirit, c'mon.

Gotham City HallCommissioner Gordon, Mayor Hady, CIA Agent Ralph Bundy and Major Zastrow are reunited in the City Hall at the start of the evening.Zastrow: KGB was our main espionage defense force against America in the US, after it's closure, we still had some factions who were active. One of them in special, survived until a few weeks ago. Lead by Andrei Yevtushenko, the faction has created almost 30 weapons, human or technological against the other countries. General Yevtushenko was found inside his office, dead with only a glass of cyanide and a few burned papers. Well, one these papers had two words written "Gotham City" and here we are.Gordon: What would he want in Gotham City?Zastrow: General Yevtushenko was responsible for several projects inside KGB, including the Super Soldier mission. My country sent me here exactly with one objective, to stop this mission from happening.Gordon: What consists the mission? And who are the men involved?Zastrow: Actually, Super Soldier is a one-man army. He's called Anatoli Knyazev, the Beast.Ralph Bundy: CIA knows him by another name, KGBeast. We suspect he's inside the country since early in the morning. We had a group of armed gunmen disguised as thugs ready to receive a package of drugs coming from Colombia. We found their bodies, totally beaten.Mayor: So you're meaning, you let a mass murderer lunatic inside my city? Oh god, there goes my chances of re-election.Gordon: have you got a photo of the man's face?Bundy: We haven't even got a description of him.Zastrow: His identity was well guarded by KGB, the only man who knew his face is dead.Gordon: Do you at least know who are his targets?Zastrow: No one knows it.Bundy: My agent here says he already made his first two victims.Mayor: Oh god, who are them?Bundy: Major Petrov of Archie Goodwin Airport staff, was preparing for another night of sleep when he ended up sleeping forever.Gordon: Two of my best detectives worked on this case, he died naturally.Bundy: That's what the Beast wanted it to look.Gordon: Okay, who's the second?Bundy: Terry Cavanaugh, crashed his car after passing on a wet road. Your officers classified it as "child's play who went bad". He was a scientist at Particle Accelerator Project at GothCorp.Gordon: Why haven't I been informed before?Bundy: Because we thought you didn't need to know.Gordon: Until now, right? Until you got your situation out of control? Just tell me what you want?Bundy: We want the Batman.The window turns black for a moment but it goes away fast. It's Batman, who recorded the entire conversation.Batman: Alfred, get me info of everything they've talked about specially related to Anatoli Knyazev and "супер солдат".Alfred: In a few minutes, sir. While I prepare it for you, wouldn't you mind looking at Aparo Avenue with Starlin Street?Batman: What's in there?Alfred: Murder, sir. Harvey Bullock is already there.

Gotham City DumpDetective Renee Montoya and partner Crispus Allen are discussing with owner, while the other officers close the place with yellow tapes. A blonde man with a fur coat walks next to the perimeter and the officers stop him.Officer: What do you want here?Man: Just a fellow citizen wanting to know what has happened.Officer: Gotham Gazette?Man: I'm not a reporter, i just wanted to see what happened.Officer: There is nothing here for you. Keep your nose out of stuff that doesn't concern you.He walks away and makes a call. While that, the Detectives enter the dump.Crispus: Where he said the body was?Montoya: Just follow the seagulls.They walk among Gotham City's thrash only to find the semi-eaten body of Elizabeth Lupo.Crispus: Beth Lupo is dead, who's going to give her parents the news?They both look at each other and say at the same time: Freshman!

Mazzuchelli Gateway to BludhavenTwo thugs are inside a truck, leaving Gotham in very empty road for Bludhaven.Thug 1: Why we took Miller Avenue to here? It's full of cops. We could have been stopped by them.Thug 2: Just relax, dude.Thug 1: Just try to take lesser frequented streets dude.Thug 2: Are you really that afraid of cops? Black Mask got the police on his paycheck, no matter how much Gordon tries.Thug 1: You know it's not the police I am afraid of.Thug 2: The Red Hood? He doesn't exist, boss only says that so we don't get to cocky.Thug 1: So what explains Mr. Freeze?The truck rides over some landmines and explodes. From the top of a street sign, Red Hood is sitting there and laughing over it.

Aparo with Starlin, Crime SceneBatman glides around the city and lands on the top of building, Harvey Bullock is talking to Officer Harper.Bullock: It's raining! Get me a cloth, Harper!Harper: Yes, sir.Bullock: Ah these new fellas never understand that rain and evidence don't mix up together.Batman: Hello, Harvey.Bullock: Damn. You almost scared me. Wanna see the Van Gogh's work over there?A fat and naked man is nailed on the wall by knives. He's covered in his own blood.Bullock: Owner of the property came in to get the paycheck. He was known as Sam Strigs, but the identity is false. We found nothing here, no money, no accounts, no fingerprints, the guy is a real John Doe.Batman: His neck it's broken.Bullock: I hadn't noticed that.He moves next to body and starts to turn the guy's neck. He rotates the head.Batman: Exactly an angle of 270 degrees.He observes the man's strangely place ears, they're not symmetrical, the right one seems a little higher. His eyes are yellow colored, quite remembering Strigiformes order birds. Then, he takes one of the knives and analyzes it.Batman: These are old throwing knives, probably the 19th century, they are coated with mercury to stabilize the trajectory. I want to take one.Bullock: Hell, when do you started to ask? That symbol in the knife, what does it remind you?Batman: An owl.Bullock: I think someone is trying to revive an old urban legend.Batman: I know what you mean.Next, he looks the guy's hand.Batman: He fought someone, earlier before his death. There's someone else's blood on his nails.He uses a small blade to get the blood and puts it inside the gauntlet. Batman starts to smell something. He keeps staring at wall.Bullock: We have no time for philosophy, Batsy.He removes some paintings made of blood from the wall.Batman: Borrow me your cigarette?Bullock: You smoke now?Batman: Just give me your cigar.He sparkles the cigar on the wall and a message burns on the wall "Bruce will Die Tomorrow".Bullock: Tomorrow? Well, Wayne is safe because his tomorrow is one week ago.Batman: Unless, John Doe knew when he was going to be found. The owner did come here once a month didn't he?Bullock: The second Friday of every month. Maybe he knew he was going to die, and knew when he was going to be found. So he left a message for someone to find, so he could warn Wayne. Wow, are we inside an Agatha Christie book?Batman: Just a minute.Alfred: Sir?Batman: Penny One, what you've got?Alfred: About KGBeast, I've found a connection. Roman Sionis traveled to Moscow this week, the day before Yevtushenko died. He arrived 1 hour before the murder of the officers. He might be somehow connected to the murders.Batman: Thanks, keep me informed.

Janus Cosmetics TowerBlack Mask: AGAIN?Anya Volkova: Yes, he destroyed a shipment of F-2000s.Black Mask: I don't even know what these are.Anya: Guns, the expensive ones.Black Mask: Send Orpheus and Onyx over there.Anya: I already did. It's about an hour and I can't contact them.Black Mask: So they are dead?Anya: I sent two of your best men there, and they disappeared.Black Mask: This is getting quite unpleasant.Anya: Indeed. What do you want to do?Black Mask: Send my little friend there and burn his body. Bury the ashes deep down, dig it up and send it to his mom. But that would be foolish...Anya: Why?Black Mask: Because it's not my problem only, and I would rather see another person taking the thrash out.

Falcone PenthouseCarmine Falcone is wearing a white regatta and with band aid on his hands. He punches a man who's tied to a punching bag. The man is bleeding, with several wounds.Carmine: Thank you, Luca. Where did you find this one?Luca: He went a little too far in a drug trade.Carmine: Well, let's arrange what we are doing with Two Face?Luca: About that, we need to strengthen ourselves up. I don't think messing around with Dent will be effective as we thought. I think we should focus on establishing our family again, the other families laugh at us and try to explore our weaknesses every time. We should stay on defensive, neutral and don't mess around until we are an empire again. You've let feelings go inside the business and that was our ruin.Carmine: Watch your tongue Luca!The windows break down with smoke grenades and tear gas.Luca: Get to the top of the building!Carmine climbs the stairs and heads to the roof while hundreds of bullets are shot down in the apartment. He gets to the roof and enters his helicopter.Gordon: Get to the Choppers!The SWAT agents enter the Police Helicopters and follow Falcone down Diamond District.Gordon: Place the snipers on the Lacey Towers and in the GCN Building. We need to get him!Crispus Allen: Sir, I don't think we will need the snipers.They all look up and the Batwing crosses the sky in high speed. Batman shoots missiles at the helicopter, destroying the back propeller and making the helicopter lose control.Carmine: Sh*t!Falcone takes the parachute and jumps from the helicopter before it crashes on a building. When he activates the parachute, Batman comes down on him and grabs him. He ties Falcone with the grapnel gun and hangs him above the police.Batman: Welcome to Gotham, Mr. Falcone.All of this is captured in live TV, and on the other side of the city, Two Face watches it.Two Face: Carmine, my boy, you finally left exile.

10 Years AgoHarvey Dent is knocked out and tied to a chair. He's somewhere familiar, his house. It's Christmas. When he looks down to the ground, he sees his wife, Gilda, lying there without moving. She's white and expressionless.Harvey: Gilda?Carmine: She can't hear you.Falcone lights up his cigarette, he blows smoke from his mouth. Then picks up the rose from his pocket, he tears one petal from it.Carmine: She's dead, Dent.Harvey: No, no, Gilda...Carmine: I chocked her to death, used my bare hands to kill her. Sounds familiar?Harvey: I'll kill you, Falcone. I'll end you, you son of a b*tch!Carmine: You had everything. You were the White Knight of Gotham, you had a wonderful career as a District Attorney, you had a lovely wife, a house, money, everything somebody needed to be happy and more. You had to push it way far than your ambition, you had to take on my Empire! Look where it brought you, my friend. To your end.Harvey: My end is far from being here, I'll get you!Carmine: Tomorrow was going to be Maroni's trial. You noticed the "was" in my phrase? The court will delay because of a young man's death as they notice you disappeared. Maroni will be called off and he'll be free. So you will die and everything you worked for will be worthless. I'll expose you, Dent, and your legacy will be nothing but ashes. Finally Gotham will see you as the two faced son of b*tch you are!Falcone tears his rose apart entirely. He calls his men and they start dropping gasoline on the floor. He leaves the room and drops the cigar.Harvey: No! No!The whole room starts to burn, Harvey struggles to untie himself. He starts moving himself with the chair, breaking a frame full of coins and grabbing a piece of glass, so he starts cutting the rope. The flames start getting close to him, a burning curtain falls next to him. He escapes from the chair and heads to Gilda, Harvey looks at the one of his coins, two faced coins, that is burned. One side is clean while the other is totally black. He kisses his dead wife and leaves the room with a half burned suit and a revolver.

Now, Old Gotham Merchant's BankAbandoned almost 100 years ago, the Merchant's Bank is an architecture wonder preserved by the Gotham State. On top of it, there is a statue of two men ringing a bell, representing the English, Irish and Scottish merchants from the early 17th century that came to Gotham and established here. Together with the statue, there are several owls symbols representing the extinguished birds hunted by the same merchants. And next to all of these symbolism, there is the biggest symbol Gotham ever had, the Batman. He's holding a criminal from his coat, interrogating him.Batman: It's a long way down.Ricky Loose Lips: I don't know nothing! I swear! God, please!Batman: Someone has brought over 3000 lbs of Semtex down the Docks. YOU WERE THERE, RICKY! Let's how much your coat can hold you until you tell me a name!Loose Lips: Please! I don't know nothing! I never saw his face!Batman: Is this a leather jacket? You know, leather coats get smoother with the rain.Loose Lips: I told you, I don't know his name!Batman: GIVE ME SOMETHING!Loose Lips: They call him Emperor Penguin but I no one ever seen his face!The ground starts to tremble, dust jumps from old statues. The water covering Amusement Mile starts to bubble, some of the wood constructions built by people living in the abandoned areas of Arkham City start to fall and get destroyed. Suddenly, an explosion. Batman throws away Loose Lips and starts running from the Merchant's Bank. he jumps from the building and glides to the Gotham Bay as chaos erupts in the explosion of a bridge.Batman: Alfred, call Robin, Nightwing and Batgirl. New Trigate Bridge has exploded.He glides to the top of the bridge and watches the destruction.Alfred: We've got problem, Sir. It's not the Trigate Bridge, only. It was a trio.Batman watches as 2 other bridges fall on Sprang River and the wreckage is carried to Gotham's Bay and Amusement Mile flooded areas.Alfred: They've destroyed Trigate Bridge, Madison Gate and Stonegate Freeway. I'm sending the Batwing to provide aerial support to you.Batman jumps down and falls on the ground. He grabs two civilians next to a car and puts them aside for a while. He breaks a car's door to catch a family, which was locked inside.Batman: Hold this up on the air and hold tight.The Batwing flies next to the bridge and grapples the civilians and flies them.Batman: Nightwing and Robin. I'm sending the Batwing for you to help civilians.He calls the Bat-Boat to next to the bridge, and jumps to the lower level of the bridge, which carries the Gotham's train line. He saves the driver and the first wagon of the train, saving at least 13 people. Which are carefully taken to the police with the Bat-Boat. Batman: I'm sending the Bat-Boat too, in case there are people on the river.Batman then notices that wagon on the second line is almost falling. He pulls up the Line Launcher and shoots it on the train. It stops falling for a while but it's no guarantee, so, the Dark Knight uses his grapnel gun to stop it from falling. He notices that down on the bridges foundations there are several "Owl" statues, just like in Gotham Merchant's.Above the lower level, Captain Maggie Sawyer is closing down the bridges.Cap. Sawyer: The press is already loving this. "The families will fall by the Gates of Gotham", it's what the Gotham Gazette received early this night. We've already blocked the bridges, your boys there did a great job.Batman: Where's Gordon?Cap. Sawyer: He's with the Mayor. Dealing with bureaucracy of Falcone's arrest. May I ask where to find Loose Lips?Batman: You may look at the Gotham Merchant's Bank, he's tied up there. He appointed Penguin responsible for the explosives.Cap. Sawyer: Impossible. He's at Blackgate, held in custody after the Cyrus Pinkney's Institute for Natural History incident.Batman: Cyrus Pinkney...He grapples away from the place and glides back to the Merchant's Bank. He searches for the old entrance, he breaks some wood barriers used at Arkham City period for protection and finds something rather unusual. A plaque with Pinkney's name on it, it describes the monument and declares it National Treasure at the year of 1923. He searches for something on it and finds a button, when he presses it, a small compartment opens and reveals a letter.Cyrus Pinkney: "January 13, 1855: The moment of my death approaches and there is naught I might to do to stop it. I dared dream of greatness, but in the process, I forgot that such ambition oft demands a heavy price. Still I pay it gladly, for knowing that Gotham has become a city whose magnificence will echo across the ages. But its origins must not be forgotten. And so I have scattered my journal across the city, placing pages where I believe they shall endure. Find them. Read them. Then share what lies within. For though the truth may not be so beautiful as the legend - it is necessary all the same."Alfred: Master Bruce. I know you're focused on the Bridge but, Cyrus Pinkney's death is known as Gotham oldest cold case. No solution within almost 160 years. A bright architect who died at incredible 40 years, he was responsible for most of what Gotham is now, the gargoyles and everything.Batman: Even the owls?Alfred: Sorry, I couldn't hear you right, what did you say?Batman: Nothing at all, Alfred. Thank you.

Abandoned Subway Station,Bowery, 1 hour agoA drug trade emerges between Two-Face's gang and the Lucky Hands Triad's men.TF Thug: I can't take this, my boss only wants the cocaine not the guns.Triad Thug: Our boss won't be happy with that, he thought it was a two way deal. You either make the deal or die.All the thugs pickup their guns and point at each other.TF Thug: We aren't taking deal.From the top of the Station, the clock pointing down ticks.Triad Thug: What was that? This sh*t wasn't working for a long time!The leaders of the trade are both knocked out by a woman and a man. The woman is an African american wearing bandages on her hands, while the man is a Latino wearing a gold and purple suit. They both knock down the entire gang.Onyx: Haven't seen these in a while, Ekin Tzu is still alive? I thought our boss sent him a pretty clear message of staying out of Arkham City!Orpheus: These others, Onyx. They were selling landmines, like the ones who destroyed the truck we searched minutes ago. They don't work for Two-Face or Ekin Tzu, they're both from Red Hood factions but from different bosses!Onyx: I thought he didn't work with drugs. He banned them from his territory.Orpheus: Strange.Onyx: Yes, it is.Orpheus: Not that, I can't contact Volkova.Onyx: That can wait, we have leads to follow.

Gotham City HallJason Greene, Gotham City Internal Affairs Congressman, is checking the documents in his office. Three nights every week, he works until 12:00 PM, his wife says that he's a workaholic and that he would rather die working than doing anything else. His window reflects a hand, Batman? Probably. But silently, this hand opens the window. He notices his window has opened, however when he looks back, there is no one there. When he goes check the documents again. There is a tall man, wearing a black KGB stealth suit, brass knuckles and a strange mask with red stripes.KGBeast: You're going to tell me everything I want to know, Mr. Greene, or you may die. Your choice, 60 seconds.Jason Greene: ...He pulls his pistol but KGBeast catches his hand and breaks it.KGBeast: You chose wrong.The Beast starts punching the guy's head. Blood paints the floor. Jason tries to catch his gun once again but he kicks his hand. KGBeast then grabs Jason Greene and throws him against the window. Batman watches Greene being thrown and jumps to save him. He grabs him but the speed is too much for him to grab the walls. Batman tries to grab a pole but fails. His body reaches a speed so high he can't grab anything without breaking his arms, so he uses his only rope that remained from this night's patrol to save Greene. While he falls he tries to use his cape to glide but it was too damaged in recent events. He is reaching the grounds, when he remembers about Plastic Man and grabs a glue grenade. he throws it on the ground and when he falls above it, he reaches it smoothly. Batman goes check on Jason Greene, but he finds he's long dead, even before the fall.Batman: Broken neck, probably when he was thrown against the glass.He walks on the street and asks the citizens to call the police to recover the body. He enter the Batmobile and leaves.Batman: Alfred, anything on the bridges?Alfred: Not at all, the bridges didn't have such a big importance for Gotham's infrastructure.Batman: Our terrorist sent a message for Gotham Gazette about the families collapsing by the Gates of Gotham. Does that mean anything to you?Alfred: My father used to say the bridges were the Gates as a nickname. He said he learned it from your grandfather, Patrick Wayne. It was a popular saying in the 20th century.Batman: Maybe I should pay a visit to Cobblepot at Blackgate, but first I need to check information with our friend Warren White.

Jezebel Center, BoweryA group of gangsters is sitting on a table, talking. They're 5, and with their henchman, almost 15. Above them, in the second floor of the place, Onyx watches them. She picks up her communicator and calls Orpheus.Onyx: I'm following the trace of these guys. I'm in their hideout.Orpheus: Have you seen the Red Hood yet?Onyx: No.Orpheus: Then contact me when you get him.The gangsters are possibly associated with the Families, as they are heavily characterized: one is a red head, Sean Riley's lieutenant; next to him at the right, is a Russian from Odessa Mob; at end on the right, one of Gambol's main hitman; at the end of the left, Carl Beaumont's successor at the French Scheme; and in the middle, Mandragora's second in command.Gambol's: We've made deals with the Black Mask, like everyone.Beaumont's: You say like we had a choice.Gambol's: It doesn't matter. He promised us protection and what we've got?Mandragora's: We got freaking Red Hood on our back.Odessa's: So you're saying we should make a deal with Red Hood?Gambol: No, I'm saying if Black Mask doesn't kill him, maybe we should.Onyx hear a noise and looks back.Red Hood: Heeey. I felt someone was talking about me.She freezes, she keeps staring at him with no idea of what to do.Onyx: Red Hood?Red Hood: Smart. What was your clue, Sherlock?Onyx: Don't move or I'll kill you.Red Hood: How hostile. What did I miss?He lies on the ground and start watching the gangsters. After a minute or two thinking, she does the same.Onyx: Basically, they want your head and they're pissed Black Mask can't do that.Red Hood: Hmm, I'm famous now. So do want to end them?Onyx: What?Red Hood: You know beat them. You can look, or help, it's your choice.He throws a flash grenade down there and jumps into them. He kicks Riley's man in the chest, breaking his ribs, and uses the guy's body to protect himself from the bodyguard's shots. Onyx jumps over the bodyguard and breaks his neck. Beaumont's tries to run but he's beaten by Red Hood while Onyx punches Odessa's. From the doors at least 10 guys enter the room carrying guns. They're trapped and the gunfire begins. As much as they try to dodge every bullet, they get shot in leg and arm once before they break out of the place.Onyx: We need to run!Red Hood pulls a Minigun and shoots all of the thugs to death.Onyx: Are you nuts? They are still my boss men! They still had to answer for betrayal!He points the gun to her.Red Hood: What were you expecting? Beating them and leaving them to BAM, kill and rob more people?Onyx: I won't let you live! You still are Black Mask's number one priority.Red Hood: I don't know if I'm too fast or too precise, but most never fell it at the moment.She looks at her side, he stabbed her in the shoulder without her even noticing.Red Hood: Now I won't let you live to ruin more lives.Suddenly, he is shot on the shoulder, it starts to bleed but puts his hand on the wound to stop the bleeding. On the other side of the Plaza, KGBeast is holding a rifle and salutes Red Hood.Red Hood: Shit.He starts to run from the shots and enters a dark alley. Onyx removes the knife and drops on the ground, when she looks up, Red Hood runs away with a motorcycle.

Suicide Alley, BurnleyThe rain drops over the pipes and boxes in this alley, a dog walks away and starts to bark. A hand caresses the dog and it runs away. Boots walk among bodies of suicidal people. The boot smashes a baseball bat and the hand disassembles a gun, piece by piece. Upside down there in the alley is Warren White, the Great White Shark, a white skinned man with sharp teeth, wearing a purple shirt and golden jewelry. Warren cleans the blood on his face.Great White Shark: Was there any need to punch me?The man reveals himself as Batman and punches him again.Batman: Yes. That's what happens when you try to shoot me.Great White Shark: I had to.Batman pulls the rope down a little and punches Warren again. He spits a tooth at Batman, who laughs at him.Great White Shark: What do you want?Batman: Elizabeth, Angel Lupo's sister has disappeared two weeks ago.Great White Shark: Find her then.Batman: I already did, some seagulls found her at the dump.Great White Shark: You got nothing against me.Batman: She was partially devoured.Great White Shark: I ain't no cannibal.Batman: You aren't but your disappeared thug, Orca, loves eating people.Great White Shark: She disappeared at almost two weeks...Batman does him a wink. And enters the Batmobile. He drives to Grand Avenue at the Diamond District, through Gotham Square and stops in front of Royal Hotel. He grapples in one of the GCPD Zeppelins, he looks at Gotham and Bludhaven and sees how different they are. Gotham is dark, obscure and holds many secrets, while Bludhaven is light, luminous and clear. He reflects why Dick chose to protect Bludhaven and how does the cities match Batman and Nightwing. He smiles with a glimpse of hope that Gotham one day will be as good as Bludhaven. He climbs the Hotel, it's statues and gargoyles are something normal in Gotham, however one of them scares Batman. He stops in front of a statue of an "owl man", their eyes are a few centimeters away from each other. He reaches a window, he pulls up a blade from his belt and cuts a circle on the glass. He opens the window from inside and enters the room. Inside the room, two glasses of champagne on the table, the couch is messy, there are clothes all over the floor. He walks inside the apartment and spots someone sleeping on the bed. He approaches the person silently and pulls the blanket. It's a woman, Margo Farr, as the computer identifies.Batman: Where's Angel?Margo: So, there's a naked woman in front of you and all you care about is a man?Batman: I've seen plenty and I'm not in the mood.Margo: Hard to tell with that suit...Batman: Where's Angel?Margo: Far away from you?Batman: Italy.Margo: How do you know?Batman: I've just discovered.He jumps from the window, and lands on a gargoyle. He starts to wait, looking at the Hotel's entrance. After some minutes waiting, there she is, Margo Farr taking a cab. Batman follows her, jumping from building to building. He spots an explosion in Old Gotham, and calls Alfred.Batman: Send Robin over there, I'm busy!He watches Margo as she crosses the Westward Bridge.Alfred: Sir, Robin spotted the Red Hood running away from what he describes as Russian assassin with a sniper.Batman: KGBeast?Alfred: Yes, sir. Two of your current cases in conflict with each other, should I call Master Dick and Mistress Cassandra?Batman: KGB is on the same level as Cassandra or better, Red Hood is comparable with Nightwing, we've seen him act. I can't send them and handle with their deaths later, Alfred. I'm enough with that already.Alfred: Sir, why don't you go yourself?Batman: I'm in a really important case.Alfred: Make a choice then, Sir.Batman: Send Nightwing, Batgirl and the Batwing to support them. Call Gordon and tell him to send the S.W.A.T. I'll handle this for a while and I'll be back to help them the sooner I can.Alfred: Alright, sir.Batman grapples the bridge and pass over Margo's cab. He watches her from a power pole, a lightning strikes behind Batman and rain drops coldly over his suit. The cab stops in front of small Chinese hotel, Margo leaves the cab. She enters the front desk when a thug whistles over her.Thug: Come here to daddy baby!She slaps him.Margo: You don't know who's my man!The thug pushes her against the ground and pulls a knife from his pocket. When he's preparing to stab her, Batman breaks the wall and punches him. Margo runs to the stairs and screams.Margo: Run, Angel! Run!Batman breaks in the room and watches as Angel jumps the window. He tries to catch him but he enters an alley. Batman hears two shots, he pulls a batarang but when he reaches the alley, he sees two dead people and their child. He drops the batarang on the street and it is carried by the rain to the sewers. The blood drops in the street as the police car arrives. Batman talks with the policemen and leaves with the Batmobile.Batman: Where they are now, Alfred?Alfred: Red Hood is driving a motorcycle in the Grand Avenue, "The Beast" is running behind him in a black van. There are at least 10 police cars behind them and an helicopter. Timothy and Richard are creating a barrier in the Moench Avenue, while Cassandra is bringing the Batwing there.Batman: Tell them I'm coming!The Batmobile starts to accelerate, the turbine fires up and he runs the streets on at least 185 mph. He enters the beginning of Moench Avenue and spots the barrier a few miles away. However, he spots as the motorcycle jumps the barrier and the van breaks the cars and crosses the barrier. The Batwing follows them right away. Batman follow them too, together with Dick and Tim in motorcycles.Batman: Batgirl use the Batwing's Rope.She shoots a rope in the van's back doors. The van is raised and carried away by the Batwing. Robin grapples in the van and opens the door, but there's no one inside. When he looks down, KGBeast has stolen his motorcycle.Robin: Guys, they're heading to the Docks! And there's no way out there!Nightwing: I'll catch up with Gordon and tell him to warn the Coast Guard.Nightwing takes a U-Turn and goes back to Gordon. Batman is now alone with both Red Hood and KGBeast on bikes in the Docks. They're running across containers, trucks and cranes. Several workers jump from the way and loaded trucks are used as jump thrusts. The space is running low, so Red Hood jumps from the vehicle and pulls his pistol. He shoots the Beast but either he dodges them or either they're ineffective. KGBeast leaves his vehicle too and pulls up his gun. Red Hood is on the edge of the Docks, down there, is only the sea. Batman arrives there and looks at the Beast, he picks a Batarang and throws the bataranh at him. But he' still able to shoot Red Hood on the chest, making him fall on the water. Batman attacks him, he blocks the punches and kicks Batman on chest. The Beast points the gun at him.KGBeast: Any last words?Batman: Now!Robin and Nightwing punch KGBeast on the face simultaneously. Batgirl kicks his stomach and Batman knees him in the face. He drops a smoke bomb and jumps on the water, they try to follow him but he disappears.

Janus Cosmetics Tower, LaterBlack Mask and KGBeast are reunited.KGBeast: Where's my payment?Black Mask: Here.He gives a list to the Beast.Black Mask: The names and locations you asked for.He leaves the room and picks up the phone.KGBeast: Reunited the Troika.

BatcaveAlfred watches the Bat-computer as the DNA analysis from the "owls' murder finally is concluded. He drops coffee on the ground, the piece of DNA they found at the crime scene is match with Richard Grayson's. CONTINUE...Next chapter: The misterious cop killer! the Gates of Gotham shall fall!

Thanks to MaxSchreck, kingarthurcurry and Batwoman for the support!

Last edited by conradoaccorsi on Aug 10th, 2015, 11:01 pm, edited 2 times in total.

I quite liked this chapter, alltough it seemed a little long . Really loved the way you write Batman when he is doing Detective work. Would be cool if you would invent new plot elements more often, so far most of what I read seemed to have been heavily inspired by already existing stories. Its the new parts that are the most interesting, like the KGB plotline. If you try to invent more you are already doing something better than a lot of Dc and Marvels most celebrated writers ^_°

"You may have invented being Robin , but I perfected it ." - Damian Wayne